A Viral TikTok About Things People Don't Realize They Need To Ask Before Undergoing Surgery Is Generating A Lot Of Important Conversation

Tom Bosworth is a lawyer who represents catastrophically injured victims in medical malpractice cases, motor vehicle accidents, dangerous product cases, and dangerous medical device cases. He is also the owner and founder of Bosworth Law and has been practicing for seven years.

To add to Bosworth's credibility, he also became the youngest lawyer in the history of Pennsylvania to obtain a jury verdict greater than $10 million for a living patient in a medical malpractice case with his $19.7 million verdict in the Melendez v. Mo case in September of 2022. He was 33 years old at that time.

So, as someone with high credibility in the field, it's no surprise Bosworth's TikToks about what people can do to protect themselves in medical situations have been going viral. A recent TikTok where he shares an important question you should ask before undergoing surgery has over 2.2 million views:

Bosworth starts his TikTok by saying, "I promise you, you're going to want to ask this question any time you're going in for surgery — whether this is you or a loved one..."

He goes on to say that, no matter what, you should always ask the surgeon, "What role will the resident play in my surgery?"

"A resident is a doctor in training. Now, they are technically a physician. They've passed the exam to practice as a physician but they are, by definition, in training still. They're not allowed to practice without supervision, and residents are involved in just about any type of surgery. They can have anywhere from zero days of experience, one day of experience to two years of experience — you don't know," Bosworth explains in the TikTok.

He then adds, "Regardless, you're going to want to know what role the resident plays in your surgery. Are they going to be holding open the incision or cutting you open, or are they going to play a more active role in your surgery? You're allowed to know this and you should be allowed to have input into what role they have."

People in the medical field also chimed in to emphasize how crucial this question is.

And although having an inexperienced resident operate on you in any capacity seems scary, it is also important to point out that it can be a good thing. One TikTok user felt like having a resident was a good thing because they are always paying attention to details to get the job done right:

And other people also shared their great experiences with residents during their procedures.

Either way, the question about medical residents remains an important one, in Bosworth's opinion, so you know exactly what is going on in the operating room while you're under anesthesia.

Bosworth then shared an important follow-up video with another question that is equally important to ask your surgeon: "How many of these surgeries have you personally performed before as the lead surgeon?"

Knowing just how experienced and skilled your doctor is in performing your specific need can be a deciding factor in knowing if you want that physician operating on you.

Soon, people started sharing other things that are important to ask before any procedure. Like ensuring the surgery you are about to undergo is the one they have you marked down for:

And making sure the anesthesiologist is someone who is credible and respected:

BuzzFeed talked to Bosworth, who said his journey to becoming a medical malpractice lawyer began when his own grandmother passed away from medical negligence when he was 18. "I have found that there are so many important aspects of what goes on in surgery and what actually goes into medical care that the doctors and healthcare system often don’t explain well or don’t explain at all to patients."

When it comes to residents, Bosworth said that some of his cases involve negligence committed by residents, but a good number of them happen at the hands of doctors or surgeons who’ve been practicing for many years.

"Everybody should know that you have a right, as a patient, to be informed of the risks of any surgery that you undergo before you agree to go under the knife. Many surgeries are risky — some more than others — but, regardless, patients have a right to be explained what these risks are before any procedure. In the law, we call this 'informed consent,'" he said.

And lastly, Bosworth thinks it's important for people to seek out surgeons who specialize in their specific needs, not just a general surgeon. "For example, there are neurosurgeons (who specialize in operating on the brain or spine), cardiac surgeons (who do heart surgeries), podiatrists (who operate only on the foot and ankle). ... Each of these specialties receives special training in their particular field of surgery beyond the general training all surgeons require."

If you have anything to share or add to this conversation, please do so in the comments! Special thanks to Tom Bosworth for sharing this information. You can follow him on TikTok and Instagram and visit his website or LinkedIn for more info. He is also accepting emails at: tom@tombosworthlaw.com.